Everton supporters will reserve judgment on the club's summer transfer activity until the closing of the window, and whilst manager Sean Dyche has bolstered the attacking ranks, a new centre-forward feels a necessity for the Goodison Park side.
Jack Harrison and Arnaut Danjuma have been signed on loan, while striker Youssef Chermiti has joined the fold on a £15m deal, though at just 19 years of age, he is not quite ready to lead the line.
For a side that scored only 34 Premier League goals last season, the second-lowest in the division, it will be crucial to secure a new talisman, and whilst he is still unrefined, mooted Toffees target Hugo Ekitike might be the man for the job.
What's the latest on Hugo Ekitike to Everton?
According to RMC Sport journalist Fabrice Hawkins, Everton are pursuing the Paris Saint-Germain forward and hope to beat the advances of AC Milan and Eintracht Frankfurt to his signature.
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While the Ligue 1 champions "haven't received any written offers yet", the Blues are hoping to advance negotiations, though will have to cough up €35m (£30m) for the 21-year-old's services.
How good is Hugo Ekitike?
The talented Frenchman signed for PSG from divisional rivals Reims for €35m (£30m) last summer, but he only posted four goals and assists during his first season for the affluent outfit, though he did only start 14 times.
Described as a "special, special player" by his former Reims boss Oscar Garcia, Ekitike did plunder ten goals and four assists from just 15 starting appearances in Ligue 1 the season prior, earning him his big-money move to PSG.
The £80k-per-week phenom did showcase his creativity, ball-playing skills and defensive work rate during his time in the French capital, ranking among the top 3% of forwards across Europe's top five leagues over the past year for pass completion, the top 4% for assists, the top 2% for interceptions and the top 19% for tackles per 90, as per FBref.
This precocious level of dynamism in his arsenal bodes very well for the path in which his career will take, and Ekitike could harness such qualities under Dyche's leadership at Everton, where he would be handed a starring role to rival the likes of the injury-prone Dominic Calvert-Lewin for the No. 1 spot at the spearhead of the system.
The knock-on effect such a statement of intent might have on his teammates would be immense too; Belgian midfielder Amadou Onana has been linked with a move to Manchester United of late, just one year on from his £33.5m transfer from Ligue 1 side Lille, and given Ekitike's style of play, it could convince him to stay.
Highlighting the 21-year-old's 'strength', 'tenacity' and 'determination', scout Jacek Kulig also described Onana as a "one-man army in midfield", and given that the bustling powerhouse recorded a solid average Sofascore rating of 6.92 for his relegation-threatened side last season, completing 84% of his passes, averaging 2.2 tackles per game and succeeding with 59% of his ground duels.
The £100k-per-week machine also ranks among the top 7% of midfielders for aerial wins per 90, further emphasising the control he asserts on his midfield realm.
Observing Everton's signing of such an exciting and talented attacking star could convince Onana to remain on Merseyside, with his industrious nature in the middle providing Ekitike with a license to exhibit his creativity in its brightest light.
And given the PSG man's own efforts in threading the different elements of a striking skill set together, it might just be the signing to strengthen the resolve and fluidity of this Everton, and Dyche must ensure a swoop is successfully completed.
